Burgeoning track and field athletics star Joany Badenhorst is on track to achieve her ultimate goal of representing Australia at the Paralympic Games.

Originally from South Africa, Joany was involved in a severe tractor accident in 2005. While playing with a group of friends on her parents' farm, a group of labourers were busy with a tractor, clearing firebreaks. Joany’s pants were caught in the power take-off shaft of the tractor, amputating her left leg below the knee. Unbelievably, the man driving the tractor died in the same vehicle one month later due to a bushfire.

Prior to the accident, Joany was already a successful athlete and had won provincial colours in high jump and modern dance. Since moving to Australia and basing herself in Dubbo, Joany has been identified as an athlete of serious potential and is committed to pursuing a career in athletics, despite her prosthetic leg falling off during the 100m race at the 2009 Paralympic Youth Games.
 
Her favourite sports star is legendary South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius, who she sees as a role model and an example of what can be achieved in Paralympic sport.

Not only gifted in the athletics field, Joany is also exceptionally talented at painting. She specialises in sketching portraits and city scapes, offering her a getaway from the hectic nature of life as a Paralympic athlete. Her favourite movie is Fly Boys and Joany is known to enjoy episodes of television series’ Bones and Castle.

Still just a teenager, Joany is looking forward to competing for Australia and plans to grace many more Paralympic Games in future years. After completing her schooling, Joany is interested in becoming a doctor.